<< Oden solid in preseason debut
Portland, OR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - More than a year after being selected first overall in the NBA draft, Greg Oden had a smashing debut with the Portland Trail Blazers, scoring 13 points, pulling down five rebounds and blocking a pair of

<< Jamison hurts knee in preseason opener
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Washington Wizards forward Antawn Jamison strained his right knee in the first quarter of Tuesday's preseason opener against the Dallas Mavericks. Jamison was on the defensive side trying to guard Dir

<< Troy QB Hampton hurts leg
Boca Raton, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Troy quarterback Jamie Hampton suffered what appeared to be a devastating left leg injury during Tuesday's 30-17 win over Florida Atlantic. Hampton was injured in the final minute of the third quarter on

<< Wallace, Allmendinger replace Carpentier at GEM
Statesville, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Canadian Patrick Carpentier has been released from his driving duties of the No.10 Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series, Gillett Evernham Motorsports officials announced Tuesday. Mike Wallace will drive

Cowboys say Jones will play Sunday; NFL gathering information >>
Dallas, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Dallas Cowboys won't discipline cornerback Adam Jones after he was involved in an altercation with a personal security guard at a Dallas hotel early Wednesday morning. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips s

Saints' Shockey, Colston back at practice >>
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey and star wide receiver Marques Colston appear close to returning to the playing field as each participated in practice during the week. Shockey, who underwent spo

Eagles' Westbrook misses practice again >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook missed practice again on Thursday in preparation for the upcoming game against San Francisco. Westbrook, who has been hampered by a sprained ankle he

Ravens LB Lewis, Colts DE Freeney did not practice >>
Owings Mills, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis and Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney did not participate in Thursday's practice, in advance of Sunday's contest between the clubs in Indianapolis. Lewis is battlin

American Idol Betting Season 6 Strategies  

It's that time of year folks.  Betting on American Idol Season 6.  And we have plenty of American Idol Season 6 strategies appearing below.  With the Top 24 finalists revealed, online gambling sites will be offering betting odds on each of them, including MySportsbook.com.

No other “event” has been growing as fast as wagering on American Idol. It has turned into a huge betting event with reasonably high limits and all sorts of profit-making potential for sharp bettors. Last year, MySportsbook.com experienced unprecedented traffic as a result of the American Idol betting craze.

Every week there will be odds to win American Idol, various elimination props and contestant versus contestant match-ups at the MySportsbook.com website.

Whether a fan of America’s top-rated show or watching only because of a wife or girlfriend, here are some of basic strategies to use when betting American Idol.

Odds to Win

There are a few things to consider when looking for the right win bet. First off, remember that this bet is for the long haul. Many people make the mistake of picking the performer who sang the best the previous week. This strategy leads to an underlay situation – betting a price, which is less than what it should be.

All Idol contestants struggle at some point in the competition, so you should always look for value. In last year’s competition alone, two performers who had some of the best performances early in the series were subsequently bet down to low prices - Lisa Tucker and Ace Young. After just a few weeks, Tucker had already been eliminated, while Young quickly became a huge long shot to win America’s largest talent search.

A better strategy is to look for performers who don’t necessarily get the praise from the judges, but show flashes of the talent necessary to go the distance.

Another important thing to remember when betting any contestant to win is the demographic breakdown of the voters, the viewing public and potential future CD purchasers. Unlike sporting events, American Idol is not decided on the field of play – it’s decided by the American public under the guiding influence of the shows producers.

Understand that the great state of Alabama has a mighty edge when it comes to American Idol. 

Therefore, to be successful betting on American Idol, put any personal opinions or prejudices aside and think like the majority of the voting public. Remember that the typical voter is young, female and quite often, Southern.

If a contestant cannot appeal to this demographic, no matter how much talent he or she possesses, they’ll struggle for votes. Looks, demeanor and charisma are extremely important. And it’s no coincidence that every Idol winner so far has hailed from a Southern state.

Elimination Props

Every week MySportsbook.com anticipates offering a prop on who’ll be eliminated from the show each Wednesday night. A suggestion to handicap this is to gauge an overall feel for who’s the least popular contestant left in the competition. Generally the least popular performers have recently appeared in the bottom three and will have been the target of repeated criticism from the judges.

Last year, resources included dialidol.com and votefortheworst.com. Dialidol.com measures the volume of each contestant’s voting line. While by no means a perfect science, it does give a good indication of who is generating votes and who isn’t. Meanwhile, votefortheworst.com is a site that attempts to build support for the worst competitor to keep them in the competition for ‘entertainment’ value. The site has a proven track record of keeping performers around who most feel should have been voted off a long time ago.

Contestant vs. Contestant Match-ups

The best strategy for doing well on match-ups is to assess how close either of the contestants is to being eliminated. If neither is expected to be voted off of the show in the coming weeks, the value is almost always on the underdog. If both are expecting an imminent exit in the near future, the favorite in the match-up might offer value.

Watch for American Idol betting odds on each of the contestants shortly and good luck with these American Idol betting Season 6 strategies.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.

Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back

With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.

"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."

Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will Barry Bonds make it into the Hall of Fame despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .

Get all your baseball betting lines, MLB lines and MLB team props at the My Sportsbook.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your baseball sportsbook needs.